Isla’s Defiance
The faint glow of the rising sun crept through the cracks in the wooden walls of the hut, painting jagged lines across Isla’s face. She sat by the small table, her back straight, her hands gripping the edge tightly as if it were the only thing keeping her grounded. Across from her, Kael moved with purpose, packing supplies into a worn leather bag. His movements were precise, almost methodical, but his silence was deafening.
“You don’t have to do this,” Isla said, breaking the quiet. Her voice was calm, but there was steel beneath her words. “You’re only making things worse for both of us.”
Kael didn’t look up. “I’m saving you,” he said simply, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Saving me from what?” Isla demanded, her tone rising. “From my pack? From my mate? You’re delusional if you think this is helping.”
Kael paused, his hands tightening around the straps of the bag. He turned to face her, his eyes dark and unyielding. “You don’t understand, Isla. Draven isn’t who you think he is. He’s dangerous.”
“And you’re not?” Isla shot back, standing abruptly. “You kidnapped me, Kael. You took me away from the life I chose. How is that any better than whatever you think Draven might do?”
Kael’s jaw tightened, his expression twisting with frustration. “He’s using you,” he said, his voice low. “You’re nothing more than a tool to him—a means to strengthen his pack. I’m trying to give you something real.”
“Real?” Isla’s voice cracked with anger. “What’s real about this, Kael? You think chaining me to a life I don’t want is love? You don’t even see how selfish you’re being.”
Kael’s face darkened, but Isla pressed on, her voice unwavering. “If you truly cared about me, you would let me go. You would respect my choices. But instead, you’re clinging to some twisted idea of what we used to be.”
Kael’s hands trembled as he took a step closer, his eyes pleading. “I’m doing this for us, Isla. For what we could have been—what we still could be.”
“There is no ‘us,’” Isla said, her voice steady but cold. “Not anymore.”
The words struck Kael like a blow, and for a moment, he seemed to deflate, his shoulders slumping. But then his expression hardened, and he shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re saying. You’ll see, Isla. You’ll see that I’m the one who truly cares.”
Isla’s heart sank as she watched him turn back to his preparations. Her defiance had only strengthened his resolve, but she wasn’t giving up. She needed to act, and soon. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for anything that could help her escape.
Her gaze landed on a small metal shard near the base of the bedframe. It wasn’t much, but it was sharp enough to cut through the ropes securing the door. She tucked it into her palm, hiding it from view as Kael turned back to her.
“Rest,” he ordered, his voice firm. “We leave at nightfall.”
Isla nodded, feigning compliance as her mind raced. She had one chance to get out of this, and she wasn’t going to waste it.
